"On April 17, 1865, eighteen year old John Rakestraw left the family farm in Bart Township, Lancaster County, to attend Unionville Academy, a small Quaker boarding school in Chester County. During the time he was away his two older sisters wrote to him regularly. Ten of those letters have survived and they provide a candid and often painfully honest glimpse of life on a Lancaster County farm in the 1860's. Diaries and ledgers kept by John's father, William I. Rakestraw , provide additional insight into that that time and place." [excerpt from the text]
Jacob Witmer family tree beginning around 1721 : with emphasis on the Aaron L. Witmer (1832-1900) branch of family descendants, Witmer various spelling appearing in the historical documents are Widmer, Whitmer, Whittmer, Wittmer, Whimer
A railroad for the "Southern End" : Pictures, timetables, rare documents and all the news of the Little, Old & Slow, Pennsylvania's first narrow gauge railroad
A long time ago, a narrow gauge railroad was built through southern Lancaster and Chester Counties, in Pennsylvania, bringing an alternative to horses, buggies and ox carts, on muddy deeply rutted roads. "Ole Peachy," as many of the locals called it, served no major industries. Instead, it made do with poultry, eggs, butter, cattle, cream and passengers, becoming a vital link for the farmers of, and visitors to, the "Southern End ." This is the story of how , despite great odds against it, this short line managed to survive for 47 years. [from the book cover]
On front, James Buchanan written along the top above a heatshot engraving of James Buchanan. Beneath the portrait, "IN GOD WE TRUST/15th President/1857-1861". On back, Statue of Liberty, showing top half only. "UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" written alongside the outer edge of the back of the coin. Underneath arm holding torch is "$1". "DE" inscribed in tiny letters on the cover of the book the Statue of Liberty is holding. Copper colored edges. "E PLURIBUS UNUM" inscribed on edge. "2010 P" and 13 stars also inscribed on the edge.
On front, James Buchanan written along the top above a heatshot engraving of James Buchanan. Beneath the portrait, "IN GOD WE TRUST/15th President/1857-1861". On back, Statue of Liberty, zoomed in to show only the top half of the statue."UNITED STATES OF AMERICA" written alongside the outer edge of the back of the coin. Underneath the arm holding the torch is "$1". "DE" inscribed in tiny letters on the cover of the book the Statue of Liberty is holding. Copper colored edges. "E PLURIBUS UNUM" inscribed on edge. "2010 P" and 13 stars also inscribed on the edge.
